Pause a second and ask yourself, what solar, tidal and win energy could you get for £70 billion investment? With Germany threatening Britain by the threat of a good example, the sharp divide between Westminster and Holyrood on English energy policy may become more of an issue in the weeks ahead.

“It is right not only for investors,” said Mr de Rivaz, “but for consumers as well.”

But why charging consumers for a product they don’t need is ‘right’ is extremely hard to understand. Here at Greenpeace we’ve been trying to think of another industry that could get away with such barefaced cheek. How would you feel if a baker knocked at your door demanding money even though you didn’t want the bread he’s made?

It is currently in secret talks with the UK government trying to agree to a figure. Estimates say this will be close to 95-99 pounds per MWh. Basically they want to force UK consumers to pay double the current price for electricity for the next 25 years. That’s more than wind power costs right now.

Does that sound like value for money for UK taxpayers? Is it ‘right’ for consumers, Mr de Rivaz?

Where does this leave us? In a speech this week, UK Prime Minister David Cameron said “countries that prioritise green energy will secure the biggest share of jobs and growth in a global low-carbon sector set to be worth US$4 trillion by 2015” and that the UK should be “a global showcase for green innovation and energy efficiency.”

With its waste of time, taxpayer and consumer money and vital resources, its toxic legacy, its incompetence, blackmail and broken promises and its way of frightening investors, nuclear power just doesn’t fit anywhere in Mr Cameron’s vision.”

It’s time for us to move on with a new vision of a nuclear-free Scotland based on an energy descent plan, community owned renewables and a shift to a low carbon society. All this possible but there is no room for this failed technology in our future.

That’s what Bella Caledonia is all about.

But we need your support to move forward…

4 Comments

Charles Patrick O’Brien
4 years ago

All it does take is that one in a million chance and the nuclear can wipe out a lot of life,and for how many generations will the area be "dirty"? at least with wind,wave and tidal power we can dismantle the generators and no harm done.

Dougie
4 years ago

Barontorc
4 years ago

There is no chance of nuclear being developed in this country of Scotland, it may be driven into England by the usual method of brown envelopes -very large ones indeed, but Scots see that renewables are doing the business, the threat we always will have is that there's no fence to keep contamination away from our shores and for that reason alone we should be vehemently opposing nuclear in any form until safe disposal is assured.

bellacaledonia
4 years ago

The Westminster Government is facing a key test of its promises after a call for state support from the nuclear energy industry.

Today’s Financial Times reports that EDF Energy has asked the Treasury to underwrite financing for new nuclear power stations, posing a serious test for the Westminster Government over whether it will stick to its pledge not to provide any public subsidy to new nuclear power.

As anticipated costs spiral out of control, the nuclear energy sector has sought to press for a level of financial subsidy per megawatt significantly higher than that of wind energy. Today’s moves now mean that the coalition’s agreement not to commit any public funds to new nuclear energy is now in danger of being breached.

Meanwhile, newly published polling data has shown support for a new generation of nuclear power stations has fallen by 8% in the space of a year. With Germany and other countries moving away from nuclear energy in the wake of the Fukushima disaster, the UK Government is running counter to the international trend in its pursuit of new nuclear energy.

“This latest development is a deeply telling one, with the nuclear industry pressing for backing from the public purse for a new generation of nuclear power stations.

“We have long warned that new nuclear energy is only made possible with eye-watering levels of subsidy either through taxation or consumer energy bills, and clearly this is the latest demonstration that we were right to sound this warning.

“The Westminster Government’s coalition agreement states quite clearly that they will provide no public subsidy for new nuclear power, so this is now a key test over whether they will keep their word or simply break yet another promise.

“The fact of the matter is that in these difficult times, the last thing that people want is to be lumbered with the bill for a nuclear white elephant.

“We have fantastic opportunities in front of us to be a world leader in a range of renewable technologies. Turning our backs on that to throw money at a technology the rest of the world is moving away from would be foolish in the extreme.”